Aston Villa star Emi Martinez hints at potential RETIREMENT date if goalkeeper achieves key ambition

Emi Martinez, 32, has hinted at when he could hang up his boots, depending on whether he achieves one more goal in his career.

In 2019, he was an afterthought in Unai Emery‘s Arsenal squad, playing on loan at Championship side Reading.

Just three years later, his penalty shootout heroics helped steer Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, earning the Golden Glove award in the process.

This week, the Aston Villa keeper became the first-ever two-time winner of FIFA’s The Best Men’s Goalkeeper award.

Despite his fairy-tale rise to stardom, Martinez revealed that it would take another World Cup winner’s medal for him to call it a day, speaking to AFA Estudio.

‘If I become a two-time world champion with the Argentine national team, I will retire,’ the 6ft 5in shot-stopper said.

Emi Martinez promised that he would retire if he wins a second World Cup with Argentina

The 32-year-old won the Golden Glove award after his heroics at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

The Aston Villa keeper has 49 international caps and only made his Argentina debut in 2021

‘I promise you. I’m telling you today. I will retire after that World Cup.’

Martinez also admitted that he came close to retiring from international football after the 2022 World Cup final. 

‘I get to the dressing room, and I see Cuti Romero and Marito crying,’ he added.

‘Then I said: “No, that’s it, I’m retiring from the national team. That’s it, I’ve achieved everything”. It was my dream.

‘Then I passed Paulo Dybala crying and when I hugged him, I started crying like a child thinking about what I suffered in England.’

After the 2026 World Cup across the USA, Canada and Mexico, Martinez would be just 33 years old.

He did not specify whether he would solely retire from the national team or whether he would call it on his professional career entirely.